Specifications of the JCB 1550B Backhoe
by Alan EdwardsUpdated September 26, 2017
An essential piece of equipment when building a road, digging a foundation and heavy construction is a backhoe. The typical backhoe has a digging attachment at the back and a loader attachment at the front. One such piece of equipment is the JCB 1550B Backhoe made by J. C. Bamford Excavators Ltd. In the construction trade, the company is known simply as JCB. They are the third-largest heavy equipment manufacturer in the world.
General Dimensions, Weight
The JCB 1550B Backhoe is 25 feet, 1 inch long and 8 feet wide. Its height is 12 feet, 9 inches. The standard configuration weighs 15,510 pounds. The 1550B's service capacities are: a cooling system that holds 3.6 gallons, a fuel tank that holds 24 gallons and engine oil including filter at 2.8 gallons. The model two-wheel drive transmission has an oil capacity with filter of 5 gallons. The hydraulic system's tank holds 19 gallons, while the entire system including the tank contains 34 gallons and an additional 7/10ths of a gallon for the hydraulic filter.
Engine Specifications
The backhoe is powered by a Perkins 1004 THR engine. This engine runs on No. 2 diesel fuel. The engine's displacement is 243 cubic inches. It is a four-cylinder engine with a bore of 3.973 inches and a stroke of 5 inches. The turbocharged engine has a compression ratio of 16.5:1. It has five main bearings. This motor can produce a gross horsepower of 83 at 2,200 rpm. The gross maximum torque the motor can put out is 229 foot-pounds at 1,400 rpm.
Transmission Specifications
The backhoe has a standard manual transmission. It is a JCB Synchro Shuttle with four synchronized forward and four synchronized reverse gears. The forward gear ratios are: first gear 5.55:1, second gear 3.44:1, third gear 1.83:1 and fourth gear 1.00:1. Reverse gears one through four have the same ratios as the corresponding forward gears. Gear choice is by a hand lever. Disconnecting gears is done with a foot pedal and hand-operated button. In forward gears, the travel speeds are: first at 3.7 mph, second at 6.1 mph, third at 10.4 mph and fourth at 18.5 mph. The top speeds of corresponding reverse gears are 3.4, 5.5, 9.5 and 16.8 mph.
Backhoe, Loader Specifications
The 24-inch backhoe has a digging depth of 15 feet, 11 inches. It has a maximum reach of 23 feet, 7 inches. Fully raised, its height is 19 feet. With a load, it is 12 feet. The standard loader has a bucket size of 1.25 cubic yards, with lift capacity to full height of 7,300 pounds. It can reach a maximum height of 13 feet, 2 inches.
Other Specifications
The standard model comes with a canopy to protect the operator. The operator's exposure is to a noise level of 75 decibels. The hydraulic system also provides power steering for the front wheels. If the power steering fails, there is a manual override. On the two-wheel drive standard model, the front tire size is 11L-16 PR and the rear tires are 16.9 x 24 10PR. The braking system is hydraulically controlled. The backhoe no longer is in production. However, used models are available online and at auctions. Parts also are available online.
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Writer Bio
Alan Edwards began writing in 2005. He is a retired pharmaceutical industry analyst, a career that allowed him to hone his research and writing skills. Edwards holds a Master of Business Administration in health care from Xavier University in Cincinnati and a Bachelor of Arts in economics from the University of Pittsburgh. Now, he writes full-time.
